A few questions for the Swift 16 Guys :)

[Wren1702]

I'm thinking about building an Approach Engineering Cobra and using the Swift 16 for my mechanics. I have a few questions before I start down this path.
My goal will be to run as low a HS as possible. (around 1300 would be great)

1. What are the "Must have" upgrades for reliable operation, if any.

2. Has anyone gone flybarless? Looks like a super easy conversion. I do think the metal blade grips would be needed.

3. How well would FlightPower 6S 5000 ma packs fit? Is there a better fitting FP pack?

I would prefer 6s packs, will be using a Castle HV-85 ESC and more than likely a Scorpion motor.

[Fred Bronk]

You may want to pickup the Mag that ahd the article a year or so back.

Plus Jim Davey goes by "teamdavey" on this site and you could contact him.

FB

[Spidious]

Chances of getting a head speed of 1300 with a 6S pack are low.
You will need a 800kv motor to do it with a 6S battery

Play with the link below to see what you can do http://dhrc.rchomepage.com/calc.htm?kv=800&voltage=22.2&pinion=9&gearTeeth=96&drag=.80&dia=1200&mah=4900&AUW=2350&amps=12.50&packv=22.20&time=16.46&drain=.70&redButton=B-Restore2&LastItem=drag&

[Wren1702]

Chances of getting a head speed of 1300 with a 6S pack are low.
You will need a 800kv motor to do it with a 6S battery

Play with the link below to see what you can do http://dhrc.rchomepage.com/calc.htm?kv=800&voltage=22.2&pinion=9&gearTeeth=96&drag=.80&dia=1200&mah=4900&AUW=2350&amps=12.50&packv=22.20&time=16.46&drain=.70&redButton=B-Restore2&LastItem=drag&


I would more than likely use the Scorpion 4025-890 Kv motor.

[Fred Bronk]

You will not be happy with a 1300 HS and a FBL needs more than less too.

I would shoot for more around 1750 minimum.

FB

[Wren1702]

You will not be happy with a 1300 HS and a FBL needs more than less too.

I would shoot for more around 1750 minimum.

FB

We currently have 4 50 size helis, 3 of them electric. I'm running my scale trex 600E with a Hughes 500E fuselage at 1430 HS and it flies and sounds wonderful! My timer is set at 10 minutes with a 6S 5000 ma Evo 25 packs. Normally I put back in 3800 ma after each 10 minute flight. I spent around 50 flights optimizing the set up. (Neu 1907/1Y/H, HV-85 in gov. mode, 10 tooth pinion) This is where the Data logger pays for itself :)

At the other end of the spectrum we are running our Phazor 600 at 2250 HS on 8S and it's a beast.

True scale flying is best done with a slow HS. I realize a 30 size electric may need more HS than my 50 size.http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l218/wren1702/Scale500E.jpg

[Wren1702]

A video of my 500E scale bird, running 1430 HS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRwPHi8Y4rQ

[Cyclick]

A friend flies his Swift in a scale fuselage on 4S packs in a scale fuselage and has been doing so for a number of years - no problems (even slings loads with it). He does use the old 800KV Century 600 motor and their 55 amp ESC.

I have also seen one installed in their special A-109A Coast Guard fuselages, flying comfortably at a 1520 head speed.

[Greybird]

Wren, Nice video. It is nice to see some scale, instead of the drunken dragonfly stuff we always see.

[teamdavey]

Someone called my name? :)

I run 1500 for comfortable scale flight - and looped it at that before I put on the body.

Remove the ball from the center of the feathering shaft.
Replace the brass o-ring compressors with something that doesn't compress the teeter rubbers - I just used a pair of regular rubber O rings.
Use a pair of heavier paddles - mine are from a Shuttle.
Fit the wash-out to the longer pair of balls on the swash plate.
You can also fit longer balls to the fly-bar cradle to up the hiller input but the effect is pretty subtle.

The result is solid hover stability and smooth, fast forward flight.

If you have only used loony rpm in the past expect a tendancy to roll to the left a bit during a steep descent - rolling toward the advancing blade. You will also experience a little of this during transition to and from forward flight. In the cruise it's pretty much hands off.

I started out with 6 cells and a 700 kv Hacker. I had a Tango 45 06 that was "resting" in it for a while and now have Neu 1907 2H.

Last thought - the cobra has a long nose with lots of area forward and the ship does not have a driven tail (don't want one with that long belt either). Autos will go sideways - you have been warned.

Jim Davey

[Wren1702]

Someone called my name? :)

I run 1500 for comfortable scale flight - and looped it at that before I put on the body.

Remove the ball from the center of the feathering shaft.
Replace the brass o-ring compressors with something that doesn't compress the teeter rubbers - I just used a pair of regular rubber O rings.
Use a pair of heavier paddles - mine are from a Shuttle.
Fit the wash-out to the longer pair of balls on the swash plate.
You can also fit longer balls to the fly-bar cradle to up the hiller input but the effect is pretty subtle.

The result is solid hover stability and smooth, fast forward flight.

If you have only used loony rpm in the past expect a tendancy to roll to the left a bit during a steep descent - rolling toward the advancing blade. You will also experience a little of this during transition to and from forward flight. In the cruise it's pretty much hands off.

I started out with 6 cells and a 700 kv Hacker. I had a Tango 45 06 that was "resting" in it for a while and now have Neu 1907 2H.

Last thought - the cobra has a long nose with lots of area forward and the ship does not have a driven tail (don't want one with that long belt either). Autos will go sideways - you have been warned.

Jim Davey

Thanks for the information. Not much on doing autos with my scale helis, too much weight and not enough HS to do them all the time. What Kv is that 1907/2y?

[JustPlaneChris]

Thanks for the information. Not much on doing autos with my scale helis, too much weight and not enough HS to do them all the time. What Kv is that 1907/2y?Looks like it's 675kv:

http://www.castlecreations.com/products/neumotors/nm1900.html

If you do end up doing that Approach Cobra, please (please please) post some pics and vids! That has long been on my "someday" list for my Swift, but my problem is I'm addicted to A123 batteries and I'm not sure they will fit in the scale fuselage. :rolleyes:

Fantastic smooth flying, with that 500E BTW. :cool:

-Chris

[Wren1702]

Looks like it's 675kv:

http://www.castlecreations.com/products/neumotors/nm1900.html

If you do end up doing that Approach Cobra, please (please please) post some pics and vids! That has long been on my "someday" list for my Swift, but my problem is I'm addicted to A123 batteries and I'm not sure they will fit in the scale fuselage. :rolleyes:

Fantastic smooth flying, with that 500E BTW. :cool:

-Chris

You can bet I'll take some pics and do a build thread.

I'm going to post a newer video of my 500E soon, I'm really smooth with it now! :cool:

[jamesppp]

I have a 4025-890 for my Swift that I will be running on 5S. I tried it out a couple of weeks ago in a new E-620 Raptor using 10S and an 8T pinion and got 1970 at 70% throttle using a CC HV 85. It was a beast on 10S in the heavy Raptor. So much so that Im thinking of using a Scorpion 4020 in the Swift instead and I put a 4025-740 in the Raptor which seems to be just right.

Sounds like a nice scale project.

Good luck with it.

Jimmy

[teamdavey]

Here's the one I built for review in MHW:

[Fred Bronk]

Well, after watching Jim fly several times from micros to 50 scale helis. He has to be one of the smoothest pilots I have ever seen.

I would still say about 1750 for the Swift, but have flown it at 750 :D

FB

[rotoraddict]

I have flown my Swift 16 in various configurations using 4S, 5S and 6S packs from 3300mah to 5000mah at rotor speeds from 1400 to 2100....mostly using the Century 600A motor (1110KV).

The slower you gear the rotor head to turn, the more gentle will be the flight response and the longer will be the flight times on the same battery pack (a 1400 head speed on a 4S/5000 mah pack will fly comfortably as the stock pod/boom configurations for 11 1/2 mintes).

The faster you gear it to turn, the hotter will be the response and the lesser will be the flight time on the same battery pack (the same 4S/5000 pack geared for a 1900 head speed only flies for about 5 minutes).

Note: I do not recommend using a 4S pack in a set-up that delivers a 2100 head speed, unless you are using an 80A ESC and a very good high C battery pack, because the power needed to turn this fast a rotor speed is very high and very hard on such small sized packs...and the flight times will be very short (only about 4 minutes).

So you can set the Swift for slow sedate flying or yeehaw 3D, and anything in between, by just selecting different blades, pinions and batteries.

Of note is something Jim Davey stated - if you want to tame the cyclic of any heli, and increase the natural stability, just add weight to the flybar and/or change the paddles. I found the stock Hawk Pro paddles, with their supplied flybar weights, a good combination for tuning the response of the head for more sedate flying.

For scale, I would recommend a 1500 or so head speed with the Hawk Pro flybar paddles and weights, using 530 to 550mm blades.

[Wren1702]

Yep, that's what I did for my Trex 600/500E. Added some nice heavy paddles from a Gohbee Stinger 50.

[teamdavey]

Yea, I forgot the blades. I have 550 BBTs - the old ones that were OEM to Mikado.

By the way - thanks Fred - the check's in the mail ;)

[Wren1702]

Well, bit the bullet tonight, ordered the Approach Engineering AH-1F kit. Will order my Swift 16 tomorrow!

[rkkennard]

Is anyone using the Futuba GY401 Heli Gyro w/S9254 servo ?
Will the S9254 serva fit on the swift for gyro use ?

Any other gyro setups recommended ?

Thanks :D
RKK

[laughingstill]

Yes and actually I think that is the best combo for the money for the Swift. If you want the maximum, go with the Spartan gyro and a BLS251 tail servo but they will be more $$$$.......Ron

[Spidious]

I have that combo and it works fantastic

http://vimeo.com/1454587

[rotoraddict]

I would be willing to bet that the 401/9254 is the most poular combo for the Swift.

Just about all the ones I have seen have that combo.

[Greybird]

I would be willing to bet that the 401/9254 is the most poular combo for the Swift.

Just about all the ones I have seen have that combo.
It is the most popular combo for most larger heli's. Not just the Swift.

[Wren1702]

I would be willing to bet that the 401/9254 is the most poular combo for the Swift.

Just about all the ones I have seen have that combo.

That is what I'll be using in mine.

[grtrain]

A 401 is a perfect fit for the Swift series of helis. You should stay away from the more aggressive gyros (Spartan, Futaba 611) On the swift as its tail drive train is a little on the weak side for a pro gyro.